In the Name of Love
by Ellie Biel
Summary: Hube wasn't trying to intrude on a personal moment. He had just as much right to be here as von Bielefeld and if Wolfram wanted to be discreet, he would stop letting his attention be drawn to the courtyard.


He was standing on the walkway, leaning against one of the columns with his arms folded as if there was nothing going on down below that was of any interest whatsoever. Since he was the only one standing there, the only person he was fooling was himself, but that was none of Hube's concern, and it wasn't going to deter him from taking a moment to check on his family.

Eru was sitting on a blanket, a knitted something-or-other in one chubby fist, and she was waving it around and laughing. Greta was attempting to demonstrate some sort of acrobatic move rather unsuccessfully, but Eru seemed to find it vastly entertaining.

His gaze wandered toward where Nicola was sitting, on the stone wall surrounding the flowers, and his expression softened. Twenty years ago he couldn't have imagined falling in love at all, let alone with a human.

Hube wasn't _trying_ to intrude on a personal moment. He had just as much right to be here as von Bielefeld and if Wolfram wanted to be discreet, he would stop letting his attention be drawn to the courtyard.

Specifically, to two individuals tossing a ball back and forth and enjoying themselves as much as Greta and Eru were.

While Wolfram pretended not to be watching anyone at all Hube let his eye wander back toward Nicola and their daughter. So much had happened since he'd been exiled – so much had _changed._ He was a lucky man, and there were times when he still felt he must be dreaming, even if he'd given up such a waste of time long ago. He didn't deserve the second chance, nor the third, that he'd been given.

His gaze moved from Nicola to the new maou. His Majesty was nothing like Stoffel. What was it about this young boy that made him so willing to forgive? Hube could have easily killed him if he'd really wanted to, back when he'd had no idea of the stranger's identity. As much as he wanted to believe Weller should have finished the job he'd started, Hube could no longer wish it had happened the way he'd wanted at the time. He couldn't imagine not being around to watch Eru grow up.

Hube didn't need to look at him to know that Wolfram von Bielefeld was not as relaxed as his posture should have suggested. He could feel the waves of tension coming off him like heat from a flame, and when he relented and peered out of the corner of his eye, he saw Wolfram finger the hilt of his sword unconsciously.

He recognized the gesture well.

He didn't want to understand what was going on, but the loss of an eye hadn't left him completely blind. He looked back toward Weller, a man of mixed parentage with an insufferable ability to take everything thrown at him in stride and smile all the while. Geigen Huber had suffered Weller envy of a different sort, but he felt a bit of empathy for von Bielefeld.

Weller's blow should have been fatal, and it was only through the grace of the new maou's forgiveness that Hube was standing here today. He'd been saved from the brink of death more times than he had a right to. Hube glanced over again at the white knuckled grip Wolfram had on his sword, and was struck by the very strong impression that those hands could be as gentle as Nicola's.

_I don't want to help you but I cannot go against my fiancé's wishes._

Hube looked back down just in time to see Nicola pick up Eru and spin her around, and he let himself indulge in a smile.

* * *

Wolfram wished he would leave.

It was bad enough that his fiancé had to spend all his free time playing that stupid game, always with Weller, but it galled him to have anyone witness it. Not that Yuuri didn't flaunt his obsession with this "baseball" and his undying devotion to Weller, but short of storming down there and dragging Yuuri away - an idea that was fast gaining appeal with each smile bestowed upon Weller - there was nothing he could do.

If the game continued much longer, he would.

Having Sir Briscella here only reminded him of how miserably he'd failed at protecting Yuuri. It had started with the argument between Yuuri and Weller, the first time Konrad had refused, quite adamantly, to let Yuuri have his way. Wolfram had seen an opportunity and seized it with both hands, the words spilling from his lips without warning.

"I'll do it," he'd told them both, and although he'd gone to the bedside without looking at Yuuri, he could _feel_ the smile warming the back of his neck and had taken Briscella's hand in his own.

At least Greta had thanked him afterwards.

Yuuri had been unable to sleep the night they'd returned to the castle, and Wolfram had still let himself give into the heady lure of sleep rather than keeping his eye on his danger prone fiancé. When Greta had woken him up not long after, telling him that Geigen Huber had disappeared, Wolfram had felt cold and nauseous inside.

It would have been his fault had Yuuri come to any harm.

He'd argued with Gwendal, and by then even Weller was on Yuuri's side. As much as part of Wolfram resented his change of heart, he knew that alone he'd never have been able to sway Gwendal. Weller had vowed not to let Briscella close to Yuuri, and as he made that oath, his sword had trembled so violently that Wolfram's eyes had been drawn to it.

It was _his_ duty, not Weller's, to protect Yuuri, but it was Weller who had saved him when Briscella attacked.

Again.

And Yuuri had forgiven his would-be assassin. Again. Wolfram had nearly forgotten that he wasn't alone until Briscella spoke to him.

* * *

Hube had known Eru was special from the moment she was born, and it had nothing to do with maryoku, unheard of in a Mazoku with human blood running through their veins. She was Nicola's daughter, and his, and her birth represented a turning point in Hube's life, a life in which he'd dared believe in something again.

To think that he could have so easily thrown it all away made him realize every day how fortunate he was. He hoped never to take such precious things as life and love for granted. Nicola was setting Eru back down and he realized she'd seen him up there, for she looked right at him and waved. The brilliance of her smile warmed him.

Hube decided that with this portion of the building being watched by von Bielefeld, there was no reason for him not to go down to the courtyard to join them.

He turned to go, but couldn't help looking back at the young man who was engaged to the maou. There was another faint stirring in his memory.

_If you live through this, you'd better thank Yuuri and be loyal to him for the rest of your life!_

"I have," Hube said roughly, and he turned and walked away, leaving Wolfram to stare after him in confusion.


End file.
